


The Law of Pyros

by Serriya (Keolah)



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Drama, Gen, Magic, Original Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1995-01-01
Updated: 1995-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-14 05:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/511809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keolah/pseuds/Serriya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A princess questions the laws of her people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Law of Pyros

Proudly, Keolah strode through the gates of Ignis, the largest city in Pyros. Upon seeing her arrival, Kestrel Woshar appeared out of the woodwork to greet her. Kestrel was the neice of Deliron Woshar, King of Ignis, and was therefore the heir apparent to the Ignian throne.

"Greetings, Elkandu," intoned the princess grandly. "A good day to you, and welcome again to the City of Ignis."

Keolah held up her hand and shook her head. "No time for pleasantries, Kestrel. I'm on business. In a few hours I'll need to catch the next caravan to Electra." Kestrel, though not a Tepper, could sense that something important was happening among the Lightning Mages, but did not ask, as doing so would seem presumptuous. Nor did she bother asking why the great Elkandu Keolah was taking a caravan. The Ignian princess knew from experience that Keolah prefered to minimize her dependance on magic. It was not a strange phenomenon among Pyrans, however, since their talent was not as practical as some.

Then a group of outlanders caught Keolah's eye. "Who are those people? They are not dressed in the red of Pyros nor the orange of Electra. Where do they come from?"

Kestrel looked in the indicated direction. "They hail from Somnia, those languid folk. They are more in touch with the world of dreams than of our own. Notice the strange color of their robes? A kind of pink-yellow? It's said to be from a type of plant indigeonous to Somnia, which thrives of the magic of the Dream Wizards, and cannot grow without them."

"Somnia," mused Keolah. "Who rules Somnia?"

"Elkandu or Dream Wizard?" asked the princess.

The elfwoman shook her head, not answering the question. Slowly, the group of Somnians moved toward the city market square. Dream Wizards? These people seemed more like sleepwalkers to her!

By now, Keolah had wandered off into the woodwork, which was just as well. She might be an Elkandu, but she made for rather peculiar company. Speaking of which, the Somnians had meandered over to Kestrel's current location, asking for directions to the snake contest.

"Just take a right at Espria and go straight past Futura until you enter Vida. You'll know it by the people wearing rainbow clothes."

With exagerated gravity, the Dream Wizards thanked her and plodded southward. Of course, everyone knew that Vida was to the north. Princess Kestrel of Ignis had directed them toward the Land of Illusion. Perhaps they could get an Illusionist there to conjure up a snake contest for them. Shaking her head with pity, Kestrel strode back to the palace.

Kestrel Woshar was half-elven, her father being an elf and her mother human. Being strongest in power of all in Ignis, the princess could convince the Council to crown her Ruling Queen of Ignis, but she wanted her father to rule until her education was complete. There was nothing Kestrel took more joy in than learning things. Ignorantly, she had tried to impress Keolah with her knowledge, but she seemed to have done nothing more than begin to mildly irritate her. Then again, with Keolah, even a mild irritation was dangerous. In the name of Khanrey, that woman was the only person ever to be born on any world who could use not one, not two, but all sixteen Powers of Earth. She could even use some of the more common Powers of Time, any of which were extremely rare. Legend had it that Keolah was even able to use some Sky Powers, though it was highly unlikely. One who could cause the sun to rise at a gesture and a word would be a very powerful person indeed!

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and ducked into an alley. The two blue-robed men walked by without noticing her. Water Mages! In Ignis! Now Kestrel was furious. She leaped from the aperture and shouted "Halt!"

The two Hydrans slowed and turned. "What is it that you desire, Fire Mage?"

Kestrel stood proudly, ready to spring her powers on the Water Mages if they made any hostile moves. "State your names and your purpose for being in Ignis."

"We are Daniel and Theodore Austin of Nereus," replied one.

"We are passing through on our way to visit our cousins, who live in Electra," added the other. "We mean no harm to the people of Ignis."

Undaunted, the Ignian princess pulled out a sheaf of papers from somewhere in her red clothing. "By the authority vested in me as the Heir of Ignis, I now place you under arrest for violation of Article 34 of the Elkandu Charter. ÔNo person shall enter a state to which they are presently enemies by reason of conflicting magic. Those who do so shall be brought before the Council of the violated state for judgment. Minimun penalty: exile to their native land, so that leaving their land will be a violation of exile under Article 29.' Come with me, brothers. I don't like having to do this any more than you, but the Articles aren't something to be taken lightly."

Reluctantly, the two Water Mages followed Kestrel toward the Hall of Justice. They silently paraded down the well-lit street. If nothing else was to be said about the Fire Mages, they could make the most spectacular lights.

The Hall of Justice was perched upon a hill nearly as high as Palace Hill. Sixteen levels of stairs, each with sixteen stone steps, made the climb toward the Hall of Justice at the dizzy top. A small group of Wind Mages offered their services to anyone who could pay. A glance at their sign showed that Wind Mages sold their services for ten gold pieces an hour per person. Kestrel didn't want to walk those stairs, but she really didn't want to pay thirty gold pieces just for a couple of criminals. However, she had an idea on how to worm around that. 

"Three people for ten minutes, please," she said, approaching the Wind Mage booth. "Which adds up to five gold pieces, if I am not mistaken."

The poor little Wind Mage was not about to be squandered out of his thirty gold pieces, however. "I beg your pardon, milady,"--he noted the brightness of her robes--"but I only sell my services in one-hour time blocks."

"Allow me to introduce myself, Sir Wind Mage. I am Kestrel Woshar, heir to the throne of Ignis." She gave the Wind Mage a small smile.

Now the man was impressed, and bowed low to her. "I am greatly honored to render my services to so noble a person. I would scarcely be more honored if the Elkandu Tihiro asked for my services." Then her offered to convey her for free, but she would have none of it since she had no money on her and the Water Mages were paying.

Mildly annoyed, Daniel Austin counted out the gold and handed it over the the Wind Mage, who thanked him profusely for his generosity. Then he started using his powers to gather the wind beneath the three customers. Slowly the air density increased until they were lofted off the ground and into the air beside Justice Hill. Their red and blue robes fluttering in the concentrated wind, they floated over the stone stairs and up to the peak of the hill. Gently, the Wind Mage lowered them to a soft landing at the entrance to the Hall.

There were sixteen columns marking the front side of the great stone building. Four gaps in the solid wall stood out as the only entrances to the building. Though there was only one on this side, east, the others faced north, south, and west. These represented the four primary elements, the four seasons, and the four cardinal directions. Each was engraved with runes, like every other piece of stone in Ignis, from the steps of the Hall of Justice to the stones of the dirtiest street. If she could recall correctly, this one was the Door of Air and Spring. She walked around right to the north side of the building. This one was the Door of Water and Winter. Another sixteen columns stood here as well, as on every side, though there were steps only on the east side. Continuing counter-clockwise, the Water Mages in her wake, Kestrel came to the Door of Earth and Autumn. Finally they came around to the Door of Flame and Summer. Here she entered.

Inside there was another wall, situated at a strange angle since the only wall this level faced squarely was the eastern one. This level had three walls, with three doors, representing the Three Lights: Earth, Time, and Sky. The Door of the Sky Light faced east. Before them was the Door of the Earth Light, which they entered by. Only Prophets and Time-Travellers ever entered the Door of the Time Light.

The Inner Hall was the only place unlike any other. Here was the room with the original version of the Articles of Elkandu, including versions from each revision and addition. There were seventeen people in this room, for each of the powers of Torn Elkandu, though not all were represented here. Most notably, no one of the powers of Water or Ice was present. These two positions were filled by a Fire Mage and a Lightning Mage.

Surprisingly, the matter was quickly solved. The Council of Ignis sent the two brothers back to Nereus with a Lightning Mage, and closed the matter. Afterward, one of the Fire Mages asked Kestrel if she would like to have dinner with her. The Councilmember was nearly as powerful as Kestrel herself so she would be insulting her if she refused.

Crystal Gemma followed her outside the Hall of Justice. She took one look at the Wind Mages and--to Kestrel's horror--leaped off the hill. The Wind Mages caught her, of course, but they were extremely nervous and annoyed. Crystal took Kestrel's hand and motioned for the Wind Mages to take them down. When they shook their heads, Crystal rubbed her fingers together, gesturing money. Now the Wind Mages were more than willing to take them down.

Kestrel shook her head with frustration and let herself be taken down the hill. 

"Who are they?" Crystal said as they reached the bottom.

Kestrel looked in the indicated direction. There was the entourage of Dream Wizards approaching again.

"Dream Wizards," Kestrel replied. "What do they want?"

Crystal dropped a few gold pieces into the Wind Mage's hand and glared at the Dreamers. "Can I help you, Masters of Night?"

"Yes," spoke a bearded mage. "My son here is learning about our art, but he needs practice. Would you kindly allow him inside your dreams so that he may thus learn?"

"You gotta be joking," Crystal Gemma rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't mind," Kestrel said. If these people lived in Ignis, then they were her subjects, Dream Wizards or not, and she wanted to learn as much as she could about them.

"Thank you, kind noblewoman," smiled the bearded one, almost sinisterly.

"You know what?" Kestrel spoke up suddenly. "I've been thinking?"

Crystal mimicked shock. "You have?"

"The Council just exiled a pair of Water Mages who entered this city," Kestrel told them. "Of course, I followed the Articles and turned them in, but they were doing no harm. What is the reason for this Ôconflicting magic' nonsense? Fire and Water are not conflicting, merely different."

Crystal was impressed, though still mildly mocking. "What do you suggest we do, O Exalted Heir of Ignis?"

Kestrel ignored her tone. "Let's go rip up the Articles."

The Dream Wizard's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious. Heir or not, you haven't that authority."

"The Articles are corrupt documents written up by corrupt people," Kestrel insisted. "We, the people of Torn Elkandu, must reject this attempt at complete subversion simply because they think they are better than us!"

"Technically, Kestrel," the other girl pointed out, "they are better than us."

But the Heir was already calling to the Wind Mages. The Wind Mages gestured for money.

"This is liberation we're talking about here!" Kestrel cried, uncaring of who heard. "I'm going to rip up the Articles."

Soon, she wasn't the only one with this in mind. A group of Motion Mages finally started teleporting people to other cities so that the sentiment of liberation could spread more rapidly. But Kestrel quickly discovered that it had already begun in Electra, on its own.

She floated to the top of the stairs and strode boldly inward, using all the wrong doors. Then she grabbed a stick and broke the glass covering the precious Articles. Taking the parchment in both hands, she ripped the document in two.

In a single act, a century of planning lost all meaning.

"We are free!" cried Kestrel. "We are free from the domination of the Elkandu! We are free to rule ourselves as we see fit! We are free!"


End file.
